Equestrian at the 1900 Summer Olympics – Mail coach

The four-in-hand "mail coach" driving was one of five equestrian competitions held in late May and early June 1900 at the International Horse Show in Paris. The event was part of the Exposition Universelle, and later classified as part of the 1900 Summer Olympics. There were 31 entrants listed for the event; all 28 of them are known by name (three entered twice each).[1] The event was won by the team of Georges Nagelmackers (one of the competitors who entered twice) of Belgium. The teams of Léon Thome and Jean de Neuflize, both of France, were classified in second and third place respectively.[2][3]

Equestrian mail coach
at the Games of the II Olympiad
Baron Étienne van Zuylen van Nyevelt at the equestrian mail coach competition
Venue7th arrondissement of Paris
Date2 June
Competitors28 from 6 nations
Medalists
1st place, gold medalist(s) Georges Nagelmackers
 Belgium
2nd place, silver medalist(s) Léon Thome
 France
3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Jean de Neuflize
 France

Sources prior to 1996 often did not list this event as Olympic. The IOC website currently has affirmed a total of 95 medal events, after accepting, as it appears, the recommendation of Olympic historian Bill Mallon regarding events that should be considered "Olympic". These additional events include the mail coach event.[4][5] (Mallon and de Wael had included this event in their Olympic lists.)

Background edit

No equestrian events were held at the first modern Olympics in 1896. Five events, including this one, were featured in 1900. Only the show jumping competition would ever be held again after that; this was the only appearance of the mail coach event.[6]

Competition format edit

The contestants drove mail coaches drawn by four horses each, with the winners determined by a jury. Many of the coaches were driven by their owners. The event took place at the small Place de Breteuil, which was unable to accommodate all 31 coaches simultaneously.[2]

Schedule edit

Date Time Round
Saturday, 2 June 1900 14:00 Final

Results edit

Very little is known about the results of the event.

Rank Driver Nation
  Georges Nagelmackers   Belgium
  Léon Thome   France
  Jean de Neuflize   France
4 Philippe Vernes   France
5–31 Étienne van Zuylen van Nyevelt[a]   Belgium
Étienne van Zuylen van Nyevelt[a]   Belgium
Georges Nagelmackers   Belgium
Vladimir Nikolayevich Orlov   Russian Empire
Charles Eugène Amable de Veauce   France
Luis Antonio de Guadalmina   Spain
Élie de Polyakov   Russian Empire
Octave Gallice   France
Jacques la Caze   France
Jacques la Caze   France
James Hennessy   France
Gaston Saint-Paul de Sinçay   Belgium
Adrien de Noailles   France
Jacques de Waru   France
Bertrand Chanu   France
Geoffroy d'Andigné   France
Jacques d'Arlincourt   France
Georges Chaudoir   Belgium
Louis du Douet de Graville   France
Max Guilleaume   Germany
Paul Lambert   Belgium
Ferdinand de Lariboisière   France
Hermann Mandl   Austria
Orban   Belgium
Georges Pauwels   Belgium
Paul de Saint-Léger   France
Georges de Zogheb   Austria

Notes edit

  1. ^ a b One of Étienne van Zuylen van Nyevelt's coaches was driven by Count de La Mazelière.[3]

References edit

  1. ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Equestrianism at the 1900 Paris Summer Games: Mixed Four-In-Hand Competition". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Exposition universelle internationale de 1900" (in French). Ministére du commerce, de 'industrie, des postes et des télégraphes. 1900. pp. 291–292. Retrieved 4 February 2022 – via LA84 Digital Library.
  3. ^ a b "Big display of coaches". The New York Herald. Paris. 3 June 1900. p. 2. Retrieved 16 February 2022 – via Gallica.
  4. ^ "Paris 1900". International Olympic Committee. Archived from the original on 10 October 2017. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
  5. ^ Mallon, Bill (1998). The 1900 Olympic Games, Results for All Competitors in All Events, with Commentary. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0-7864-4064-1.
  6. ^ "Four-In-Hand Competition, Open". Olympedia. Retrieved 3 March 2021.

Sources edit